Netflix is reportedly in talks to license video podcasts distributed by iHeartMedia, according to Bloomberg. iHeartMedia’s podcast portfolio includes shows like “The Breakfast Club,” “Las Culturistas,” “Jay Shetty Podcast,” and “Stuff You Should Know.”
Netflix is looking for exclusivity, which means video podcasts that it licenses from iHeartMedia could no longer be uploaded to YouTube. It’s worth noting that if a deal does come together, iHeartMedia might not license its entire podcast catalogue to the streaming service.
The news comes a few weeks after Netflix signed a similar deal with Spotify that will bring a curated selection of sports, culture, lifestyle, and true crime podcasts from Spotify Studios and The Ringer to Netflix.
Under the Spotify deal, podcasts available on Netflix will be removed from YouTube but remain on Spotify. Some of Spotify’s biggest shows, including “The Joe Rogan Experience,” will remain on YouTube.
For Netflix, these video podcast deals will give it a new way to better compete with YouTube, which is the most-watched platform for video podcasts after surpassing 1 billion monthly active podcast viewers earlier this year.
